Grass-catcher.



F. WETTEROTH.

GRASS GATGHER. APPLICATION FAILED OUT. 1a, 1909.

955,566. Patent d Apr. 19; 1910.

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r77 TORNEVG.

UNITED sTA rEs PATENT oFFIoE;

rmmx wn'r'rnno'rn, or s'r. 'LoUIs-mIssoUnI, assmnon. 'ro ;zIrT1.osEN .1rA1 mrao-' moame coMrANY, or s'r. LOUIS, mrssoum, A coaroaa'non orurssonar GRASS-Ca ranza. 4

Specif cation f Letters Patent. Pat nted 19, 191.0.

application filed pctpher 18, 1909. Serial No. 52 3,'362.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK Wn'r'rnnon-I, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the Stateof Missouri, have invented a new and useful Grass-Catcher, of which the following is a specification.

' k This invention relates to improvements in receptacles ordinarily disposed to the rear of a lawn mower for the purpose of receiv ing the cut particles of grass as they are thrownupward by the revolving blades of said mower;'and the objects of my improvements are to provide a convenientmeans for carrying said catcher in the hand after it has been filled withgrass which'it is desired to discard at some point distant from a the' lawn; to provide means wherebya spring controlling the distention of overlapping plates, constituting the bottom of the receptacle, is at all times housed and so protected from damage-from the action of the elements or otherwise; and to protect the comparatively delicate terminals -of.said s )ring from breaking throughcontact with a ingc oint necessar ly adjacent thereto. These and other obvious advantages I attain through the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing and'hereinafter described in detail: Figure 1 being a perspective of'the skeleton of the improved receptacle; Fig. 2 depicting a cross-section along line w'ac of Fig.1; and Fig. 3 a detail perspective, in enlarged section, illustrating the manner of positively positioning said terminals of the spring out. of contact or interference with an adjacent hinge-joint, the view likewise disclosing a socket for theaccommodation of a coiled wire-forming part of'said such manner that the receptacle may be colhinge. i For simplicity of description my receptacle may properly be subdivided into seven distinct members, namely,-an upper frame;

a lower'frame; a two-part floor or bottom lapsed-while not in use; a' spring; and a particularly disposed handle. Saidqupper andlower frames consist sim ly of two lengths of suitable material, pre rably wire, each of which is bent -to afford an upper rear-bar 1 and a lower rear-bar 2, and upi per side-rods 3 and lower side-rods 4. Disposed in rear-bar 1 is an eyelet 5; in siderods 3 are disposed eyelets 6; and" at the figuring the canvas covering in definite position the handle-stays 9; and

' forward fextremities of said are i provided f eyelets 7. Eyelet 5. locks in, definite position supporting member 8, the'latupon the said bar and so 'utearin an is-:

eye ets '6 lock through eyelets 7 are looped eyelets 1O disstays 11. At the lower extremit of each of said stays are disposed a plura ity of very decided and peculiarly formed cr fnps, 12 and 13, and after the formation ,thereof the wireis continued at a ri ht angle thereto as at 18 for a considerab e distance across when broken the receptacle(isfrendered less until repair: hence it .is1h1ghly.;;des1rterioration. In the prior art theftermiiialsuntil they rest upon the equivalent of coil 16 whose constant reciprocal movement along the axis of rods 18 isjthen impeded and friction being thus established one or both terminals are raduall eventually break. Feither oes'the prior art disclose a protected spring, v

By reference to Fig. 3 of the accompany ing drawing it will be apparent that spring descending upon coil 16, by, reason of the presence and peculiar formation of crim s 12- and 13: the former projecting sharp y inward andthe latter sharply outward to an extent considerably beyond the vertical lon: gitudinal plane of stays 11. Thus a long,

practical use, acts precisely as a guard interposed over said, coil, and even though-said their seat in crimp 12 it isa physical imp ossibility for them to descend upon or contact with the hin e-joint in question. i

The bottom 0 my receptacle consists of able to protect the same from damagepifjde-f 5. of saidspring are liable to slip downward attenuated and slanting surface 19. is presented which, in

ter when not so lockedconstantly sli posed at the upward extremltyjof frontthe front of the bottom ,of'"thejreceptacle.

s rin 14 is a ver im ortantfifactor and P o y terminals 15 are positively prevented from Y spring-terminals should become loosened at two metal plates 20 and 21, certain of whose edges engage the rear-bar and side-rods of the lower frame, the inner edges of said plates overlappin and the Width of said plates. continuing forwardly over said spring and thence being rebent to form hollow cylinders 22, 23, one of which reciprocates freely within the other for a considerable distance as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Thus the spring is at all times shielded from exposure to physical damage as Well as from the ill-effects of damp grass and rain.

over the frames it is'first placed about lower side-rods t and rear-bar 2, and secured in that position by the subsequent overbending of edges 20* and 21 of plates 20 and 2l,

being customarily fastened to top frame members 1 and 3 by stitching, although the small metallic clamps illustrated and claimed in my copending application Serial N 0. 520,685, may be used if desired.

What l claim asnew and desire by Letters-Patent, is 4 1. In a receptacle of the character dcto secure scribed, a laterally distensible frame, a

spring controlling the lateral distention of said frame, a housing formed integral with the floor of said receptacle and incasing said spring; and means for attaching said receptacle to alawn mower. 2. In a receptacle of the character described, a laterally distensible frame, a

Correctioa :in LettersPat'ent No. 955,566., 1

sprin controlling the lateral distentiont'of said rame, a two-part floor or bottom prolonged into complementary tubular members housing said spring, and means for attach ing said receptacle to a lawn mower.

3. A receptacle of the character described,

[scan] i comprising a two part floor or bottom prolonged into complementary cylindrical members, a spring,,'said cylindrical members housing said spring, verticalmembers constituting a part of the frame of said receptacle and adjacent said spring, an extremity of each of said vertical members having a plurality of oppositelyhdirected crimps, the lower of said crimps affording a socket, a coil integral with the receptacle frame, said coil mo'vably disposed in .said socket, the terminals of said springs closely engaging another of said crimps disposed above said coil and substantially removed from the vertical plane passing said coil, and means for attaching said receptacle to a lawn mower.

4. A collapsible receptacle of the character described, comprising an upper and a lower frame and members hingedly connecting said frames, a rod at right angles to and in continuity with each of said frame-connecting members, a tWopart floor or'bottom engaging said lower frame and retaining a flexible covering thereupon, and a "spring, said spring disposed over said rods and controlling the lateral distention of said frames, said lower frame hinged upon said rods, and a plurality of oppositely directedcrimps disposed in each of said frame-connecting members, one of said crimps affording a socket for the hinging of said lower frame, and the terminals of said sprin closelyengaging another of said crimps isposed above said hinge and substantially removedfrom the vertical plane passing through said hinge, a housing completely incasing said spring, aneyelet upon the upper of said frames, a member in pivotal engagement with said eyelet and supporting said receptacle upon the handle of a mower, and a handle so disposed upon a frame of said receptacle as to maintain the floor thereof in horizontal balance during manual carriage.

I It is hereby certified'that in Letters Patent N5. 955,566, granted April 19,1910, 4

ment in Grass-Catchers, an errorappears in the printed specification reoui ring-J correction asciollows: Page 2', line 54, afterithe word passing insertjtheiwbrd 1 ithroagh; and that the said Letters Patent should read with this bbrrCtion therein that the same may conform the record of the case in the gatent t. Signed and'sealed this 1' 6th dayof January,'A. D., 1912 (33C. BILLINGSQ upon the application of Frank Wetteroth, of stpLouis, Missouri,'for an improve two metal plates 20 and 21, certain of whose edges engage the rear-bar and side-rods of the lower frame, the inner edges of said plates overlappin and the Width of said plates. continuing forwardly over said spring and thence being rebent to form hollow cylinders 22, 23, one of which reciprocates freely within the other for a considerable distance as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Thus the spring is at all times shielded from exposure to physical damage as Well as from the ill-effects of damp grass and rain.

over the frames it is'first placed about lower side-rods t and rear-bar 2, and secured in that position by the subsequent overbending of edges 20* and 21 of plates 20 and 2l,

being customarily fastened to top frame members 1 and 3 by stitching, although the small metallic clamps illustrated and claimed in my copending application Serial N 0. 520,685, may be used if desired.

What l claim asnew and desire by Letters-Patent, is 4 1. In a receptacle of the character dcto secure scribed, a laterally distensible frame, a

spring controlling the lateral distention of said frame, a housing formed integral with the floor of said receptacle and incasing said spring; and means for attaching said receptacle to alawn mower. 2. In a receptacle of the character described, a laterally distensible frame, a

Correctioa :in LettersPat'ent No. 955,566., 1

sprin controlling the lateral distentiont'of said rame, a two-part floor or bottom prolonged into complementary tubular members housing said spring, and means for attach ing said receptacle to a lawn mower.

3. A receptacle of the character described,

[scan] i comprising a two part floor or bottom prolonged into complementary cylindrical members, a spring,,'said cylindrical members housing said spring, verticalmembers constituting a part of the frame of said receptacle and adjacent said spring, an extremity of each of said vertical members having a plurality of oppositelyhdirected crimps, the lower of said crimps affording a socket, a coil integral with the receptacle frame, said coil mo'vably disposed in .said socket, the terminals of said springs closely engaging another of said crimps disposed above said coil and substantially removed from the vertical plane passing said coil, and means for attaching said receptacle to a lawn mower.

4. A collapsible receptacle of the character described, comprising an upper and a lower frame and members hingedly connecting said frames, a rod at right angles to and in continuity with each of said frame-connecting members, a tWopart floor or'bottom engaging said lower frame and retaining a flexible covering thereupon, and a "spring, said spring disposed over said rods and controlling the lateral distention of said frames, said lower frame hinged upon said rods, and a plurality of oppositely directedcrimps disposed in each of said frame-connecting members, one of said crimps affording a socket for the hinging of said lower frame, and the terminals of said sprin closelyengaging another of said crimps isposed above said hinge and substantially removedfrom the vertical plane passing through said hinge, a housing completely incasing said spring, aneyelet upon the upper of said frames, a member in pivotal engagement with said eyelet and supporting said receptacle upon the handle of a mower, and a handle so disposed upon a frame of said receptacle as to maintain the floor thereof in horizontal balance during manual carriage.

I It is hereby certified'that in Letters Patent N5. 955,566, granted April 19,1910, 4

ment in Grass-Catchers, an errorappears in the printed specification reoui ring-J correction asciollows: Page 2', line 54, afterithe word passing insertjtheiwbrd 1 ithroagh; and that the said Letters Patent should read with this bbrrCtion therein that the same may conform the record of the case in the gatent t. Signed and'sealed this 1' 6th dayof January,'A. D., 1912 (33C. BILLINGSQ upon the application of Frank Wetteroth, of stpLouis, Missouri,'for an improve Correction in Letters Patent No. 955,566.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 955,566, granted April 19, 1910,

upon the application of F rank Wetteroth, of St. Louis, Missouri, for an improvement in Grass-Catchers, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 64:, afterthe word passing insert the word through; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Batent Ofiice.

' Signed and sealed this 16th day of January, A. D., 1912.

' 0: (J. BILLINGS,

[SEAL] Actiizg o f Patents. 

